Coating process and apparatus



March 21, 1933-. I c MANN V 1,902,654

COATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 21, 1933. c. A. MANN COATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS' Filed April :30, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet Z I VF /ll/l/l/I/l gn-iwntol wa i KMQ

March 21, 1933. c. A. MANN COATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed April 30, 1929 i 6 V/ll/ gnuc nfoz March 21, 1933. c MANN 1,902,654

COATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 30, 1929 Patented Mar. 21, 1 933.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CECIL A. MANN, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIIDAIRE 'GGRPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Application filed April 30,

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for the manufacture of products such as refrigerator cabinets.

An object of. this invention. is to provide San apparatus for manufacturing a refrigerator cabinet and for readily applying a coating of bituminous cement to various parts of the refrigerator cabinet.

Further objects and advantages of the I present invention will be apparent from the following description; reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective, somewhat diagrammatic in character of an apparatus embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross section and partly in elevation of a portion of the apparatus seen in Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion'of, and taken transversely to, Fig. 2;;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of Ea slightly modified form;

Fig. 5 is a view taken transversely to Fig.

" 4 of a portion thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side View, partly in section, of a nozzle which may be used; and I Fig. 7 is a cross section taken along the line .77 of Fig. 6. I

This invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of refrigerator cabinets,

' for instance of the household type, (adapted i to be used with mechanical refrigerating a paratus. In this type of cabinet it is desirab e 'to apply a coat of bituminous cement to various parts of the cabinet. For instance,: at the stage of manufacture as shown in Fig.

1 a partially completed cabinet is indicated at 10. This cabinet may comprise a framework including upright corner, pieces 11, horizontal top pieces 12 and l3, horizontal V lower pieces 15 and 16 and, if desired, intermediate horizontal pieces 16 and 17. The

food compartment is generally a sheet metal box-like member attached to the framework along the door opening 20 so that the edges of the food compartment lining extend along the frame members 11, 12 and 13. Thus the 1929. Serial No. 359,358.

outside edge of the food compartment and the inner edges of the frame member form recesses 21, 22 and other recesses, not seen, in the cabinet shown at 10. It is desirable to place slabs of insulating material such as cork board or rock cork in the recesses 21, 22 and the other recesses. By the apparatus herein described, a coating of bituminous cement may be applied to the outer surface of the food compartment jlining, which is 0 uppermost in that particular position of the cabinet, thereafter the slabpf insulating material may be inserted in the recess so coated, and, if desired, the outer surface of the inserted insulating slab may then be coated 5 with the bituminous coating so as to seal the insulation substantially hermetically particularly along the edges between the frame and the insulation. After all the recesses are filled with insulating slabs and properly [0 sealed with bituminous cement, the outer panels of the refrigerator cabinet may be applied.

In using the apparatus, it is preferred to 7 apply the bituminous cement to the surfaces which are on top of the cabinet in thatparticular step of its manufacture. Thus in the position shown at'10, the recesses 21 and the insulation which would be inserted in that recess would receive the application of bituminous cement. At some other stage in the manufacture of the cabinet, for instance at the position shown at 30, the recess 22 has been filled with a slab 22a ofinsulating material. Preferably before t e slab of insulating material is inserted "in the recess 22, the surface of the food compartment lining is covered with bituminous cement, and then the slab of insulation 22a is inserted in the recess 22 while the bituminous cement is still warm and at a desirable temperature. Then, if de-' sired, a further coating of bituminous cement may be applied to the outer surface of the insulating slab 22a, the coating being extended over the edges of the frame members 12 and 13 so as to seal hermeticallynot only the surface of the insulation but also its jointwith the frame.

The cooling of the bituminous cement after it has been applied inay be expedited. Thus an air blowing system 31 may be provided adjacent to the track 32 upon which the cabinets are transported during the process of manufacture. The air blowing system 31 may include means for directing the air upon the cabinets at desired points. Thus downwardly directed outlets 33 may be provided. These outlets may include a plurality of jets 34 adapted to direct jets of cooling air upon the cabinet, which may be either stationarily placed under the outlet, or which may pass at the proper speed thereunder to receive the necessary cooling effect. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the track 32 may be considered to travel slowly toward the left, and the cabinets, in the process of manufacture, may be placed in various positions so that each'of the recesses may be properly filled with insulating material somewhere away from the air outlets 33 and in passing under the outlets 33, the last applied coating'of'bituminous cement may be cooled so that the cabinet may then be turned to some other position without undue delay. If desired, the cabinets may be temporarily removed from the track 32 for performing any one or more operations while they are off of the track, thus reducing the necessary length of track.

The apparatus for applying bituminous cement to the cabinet in the process of manufacture may include a tank or container 35 in which a body of molten bituminous cement may be stored. If desired, suitable heating elements may be placed in'the tank in order to maintain the cement at any desired temperature or to melt the same. A metallic pipe distributing system forming a closed fixed path may be connected to the tank in order to distribute the bituminous cement to the various places where the manufacturing steps are being performed. Thus a pump, for instance of the rotary type, may be provided at 36 which is adapted to circulate the bituminous cement from the tank 35 through a metallic pipe or conduit 37 and several runway orconduits 38, 39, 40 and 41. The metallic piping system including the portions 38 to 41 inclusive may maintain the bituminous cement at a relatively higher pressure than in the return runways or conduits 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47. One or more suitable restrictors resistances to the flow of cement may be interposed between the relatively high 7 tributed to all of the points of application.

Fourway valves or regulators 50 and 51 may be provided so that the bituminous cement vided with flexible or connector tubes 53 and 54. The tube 5.3 feeds a valve controlled nozzle 55 which is providedwith a continuous passageway to the connector tube 56 returning to a Y-fitting 57. If desired a flow resistance may be placed in the nozzle sothat when the valve in the nozzle is opened, there will be a less restricted passage to the discharge 131 than to the tube 56. The tube 54 may feed a similar nozzle, not shown, which is also connected to a return flexible connector tube 58 also feeding to the Y connection 57. A threeway valve 59 may be set so that the returning bituminous cement from the fitting 57 is sent through the pipe 60, through the other passageway of the fourway' valve 50 to the pipe 61 and from thence to the cement pipe 45 which connects to the return system 44, 46 and 47. Thus it is seen that bituminous cement is continually circulating from the pipe 41 through the flexible tube 53, valve nozzle 55, return flexible tube 56 and fitting 57 and pipe 60, 61, 45, 44, 46 and 47 back into the tank 35. The same is true of the flexibletubes 54 and 58. This continuous circulation, practically to the tip of the discharge nozzle, maintains the entire apparatus at suitable temperature so that the bituminous cement is not chilled. An assembly generally designated as 62 may be assembled in a manner similar to the onein the neighborhood of the fittings 49, 50 etc. for further flexible tubing connections. It isto be understood that the assembly at 60 is in mirrorsymmetry to the assembly described in detail at since the flow is in the opposite direction. The pump 36 may be driven by electric motor, not shown, which may be either a constant speed motor or one adapted to maintain the proper pressure in the distributing system by any suitable control desired. such asby a pressure responsive device connected to the piping system which controls the/speed of the motor driving the pump 36. One or more safety valves, not shown, may be placed in the distributing system. Q

The flexible conduits 53 and 56 or 54 and 58 form closed variable paths connected to the closed fixed path formed by the metallic pine distributing, system.

The metallic pipe distributing system may be maintained at proper temperatures by any suitable means. Thus a'steam heating system may be connected to substantially all, or a portion of, the entirepipe distributing system. The steam heating system may comprise a series of pipes co-axial with and larger than the bituminous cement conveying pipes or conduits. These pipes, generally designated as 70, may be placed along substantially all of the straight runs of bituminous cement conveying pipes. The pipcs To may be provided at their ends with fittings 71 and 72. I The'fittings 71 are T-fittings, one side of which may be connected to the pipes 70, the other branch of the T-fittings permitting the bituminous cement conveying pipe to pass therethrough, while the stem of the T is connected to steam conveying pipes 73. Thus it is seen that the steam may flow from the various steam pipes through the medium of the fittings 71 and the steam pipes 73 to other steam pipes 70. The fitting 72 is adapted to permit the U-shaped bituminous cement return pipe 74 to pass through one end so that .the bituminous cement pipe 39 and 38 may be properly assembled. The steam flows through the fitting 72 from one steam pipe 70 to the other. Thus it is seen that the fitting 72 is somewhat similar to the fitting 75 hereinafter to be more fully described andwhich are more fully shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The steam pipes 70 may be furnished with steam from a suitable source, not shown, which supplies steam to the steam pipe 76, which is connected by means of the branch 77 with the fitting 75 and which is also connected to the fittings 71a similar to the other fittings 71 but which are connected by means of the branches 76a with the pipe 76. Wherever there is liable to be a pocket where condensation from the steam system is liable to gather, a suitable steam trap 80 may be provided which may be of the usual float controlled type permitting the discharge of the condensation without discharging the steam. A suitable automatic pressure valve 81 may be placed wherever desired in the steam distributing system.

Whenever it is desired, it is possible by this construction to remove the bituminous cement from the flexible tubing, which ordinarily not warmed by steam. This is desirable, since if the apparatus should stand idle for some time, the bituminous cement in the flexible tubing might harden and thus require some dilficult heating operation to render it operative. In order to remove the bituminous cement from the tubing the valve 50 may be turned 180 in a clockwise direction and the valve 59 may be turned in a counter clockwise direction. The steam valve 82 may be opened so that an ejecting medium such as steam is fed through the branch 83 to the pipe 60 and from thence to the Y-fitting 52. When the nozzle 55 and its companion, not shown, are opened the cement is forced from the pipes 53 and 54 out through the nozzles and is replaced by steam. Since the valve 59 has a T-shaped opening the steam from the pipe 83 also enters thefitting 57 and blows out the cement from the pipes 56 and 58. The solidification of the cement in the flexible tubing is thus prevented. Wherever necessary, valves 84, 85, 86 and 87 may be provided. The pipe 88 may lead to a steam trap simila. to the trap 80 in order to discharge the condensation which is liable to gather in the fitting 75a.

The fitting 75 is more fully shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It may comprise a casting pro- ,vided with passageways 101 and 102. The passageway 101 may be connected to the bituminous cement pipe 41 and to the pipe leading to the valve 49. The passage 102 may be connected'to-the return pipe 45 for the cement and also to the pipe 61 leading from the valve 50. The casting 100 may also include a steam space 103 which is connected to the steam pipes 70 and thus conveys the steam from one of the pipes 70 to the other. The pipes 70 may be threadedly engaged to plates 104 which may be provided with gaskets 105 and may be clamped to the casting 100, for instance, by means of bolts 106. The pipes at the lower end of the casting 100 may be connected by plates 107 similar to the plates 104. In the normal operation, the

valve 50 is provided with a passageway, as 4 shown in dotted lines, so that the bituminous cement flows from the pipe 108 to the Y-fitting 52, the cement returning to the fitting 57, valve 59 and pipe 109 and through another passageway in the valve 50 to the pipe 61. When it is desired. to remove the cement from the flexible tubes 53, 54, 56 and 58 the valve 50 is turned so that the cement flows from the pipe 108 to the pipe 61 and the Steam flows from the pipe 109 to the fitting 52. The valve 59 may be turned so that steam flows from the pipe 83 both through the pipe 109 and the fitting 57.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a casting 120 may be connected to the pipes 41 and 45 The casting 120 may include passageways 121 and 122 leading respectively from the pipes 41 and 45 to a valve 50a. In the normal operation, the cement flows from the pipe 41, passageway 121, valve or regulator 50a, pipe 122 to a fitting 52a similar to the fitting 52. The cement flows from nozzles, similar to those heretofore described, back to a fitting 57a and from thence through the pipe 123 back to. the passage 122 and pipe 45.. Pipes 41 and 45 maintain the same relative position to the general lay-out as is shown in Fig. 1, and are surrounded by steam pipes 70 on the same connection. The pipes 70 are secured to the casting 120 by means of plates 107 similar to the plates 104 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A suitable throttling valve or restrictor 124 is provided which performs the same function as the valve 49 heretofore described. A steam passage 125 is provided in the fitting 120 to transfer the steam from one pipe 7 0 to the other. A pipe 126 may lead toa steam trap similar to trap 80.

When it is desired to remove the cement from flexible tubes 53, 54, 56 and 58, the valve 50a is turned 90 in a clockwise direction and the valve 127 is opened. Thus steam flows from the space 125 through the valve 127 to the fitting 57 a, and also through the pipe 123 and 122 to the fitting 52a. By opening the nozzles at the ends of the flexible tubes the bituminous cement is discharged from'the tubing.

The nozzle has a passageway therethrough leading from the tube 53 to the tube 56. By the operation of a trigger 130 a valve is opened from the last mentioned passageway to a discharge orifice 131. Thus by pulling the trigger the cement may be spread over the surface of the refrigerator box merely by moving the discharge orifice 131 over the surface to be covered. The discharge orifice 131 may have a flat opening somewhat similar to the ordinary vacuum cleaner nozzle, which is adapted to discharge a wide flat stream of great covering power.

The heating system or heating medium jacket for the metallic pipe distributing system is also adapted for use with any heating medium such as hot circulating oil. Instead of circulating steam through the pipes 70, fittings 71 and 72, etc., hot oil may be circulated. through them by any suitable means, such as a gear pump, not shown. When oil is used, the steam trap or traps 80 may be omitted.

A nozzle 55which may be used with this apparatus may include the relatively wide and thin discharge orifice or spraying head 131. The nozzle may be provided with an insulated handle 150 on which is mounted the trigger 130. The nozzle includes a chamber or main tube 151 having a bituminous cement inlet 152 which may be connected to the flexible tubing such as supply tubes 53 or 54, and also includes a bituminous cement outlet 153 which may be connected to the flexible tubing, such as outlet supply tubes 56 and 58. The trigger 130 may include a valve actuating member, such as the forked extension 154 which may engage the valve stem 155 for instance by providing a pin 156 which slides in key way 157. The orifice 131 may be formed in a piece 158 having a threaded engagement at 159 with the main body of the nozzle 55. The piece 158 may include the valve seat 160 against which the tapered end 161 of the valve stem 155 seats. Since the hot bituminous cement is continually flowing through the chamber 151, the cement does not become chilled in the nozzle, but on the contrary, the cement is maintained in a heated condition to the tip of the valve of the nozzle. Thus the tubes 53 and 56 form a flexible conduit connected to the metallic pipe system with a valved nozzle intermediate the ends of the conduit whereby the hot bituminous cement is circulated in a closed cycle continuously substantially to the outlet of the nozzle.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a method ofmanufacturing refrigerator cabinets the steps which include moving unfinished cabinets first into a position in which one side is uppermost, then moving them into a position in which a second side is uppermost, continuously circulating hot bituminous material through a closed piping system adjacent said cabinets, and projecting a part of the circulating hot bituminous material onto each of said sides during the period that the side is in uppermost position.

2. An apparatus for the manufacture of refrigerator cabinets or the like comprising a movable track for supporting and moving the unfinished cabinets, a system of conduits for continuously circulating hot bituminous material, a plurality of individually operable flow control nozzles on said conduits for selectively applying bituminous material to said cabinets at various places on said track, a flexible inlet conduit connected to each nozzle, each of said conduits being connected to a common point of supply from the conduit system, and a flexible return conduit connected to each nozzle, each of said return conduits communicating with a common point of return to the conduit system.

3. A device of the class described comprising a main tube, a spraying head fitted in one end thereof, flexible connector tubes connected with said main tube for circulating a supply of material to said maintube, conduits communicating with said connector tubes, a container for supplying material to the conduits and said tubes for circulation in the main tube, a pipe surrounding one of the conduits adapted to receive heating medium, and a regulator between the connector tubes and the conduits for controlling the ciil'oculation of material through the main tu e.

4. A device of the class described comprising a main tube, a spraying head fitted in one end thereof, flexible connector tubes connected with said main tube, conduits communicating with the connector tubes, a container for supplying material to the conduits and said tubes for circulation in the main tube, a pipe surrounding one of the conduits adapted to receive heating medium, a pump for circulating a fluid through said main tube, connector tubes and conduits. to and from said container, and a regulator for controlling the circulation of material through the main tube.

5. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of main tubes in parallel fluid flow relation, a spraying head fitted in one end of each of said main tubes, flexible connector tubes connected with said main connector tubes, a container for supplying material to the conduits and said tubes for circulation of fluid in parallel relation through said main tubes, a pipe surrounding one of the conduits adapted to receive a heating medium, and rest-rictors for insuring arallel flow through said main tubes wit out short circuiting.

6. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of main tubes in parallel fluid flow relation, a spraying head fitted in one end of each of said main tubes, flexible connector tubes connected with each of said main tubes for flow of material to and from said main tubes, conduits communicating with the connector tubes, a container for supplying material to the conduits and said tubes for circulation of fluid in parallel relation through said main tubes, and restrictors for insuring parallel flow through said main tubes without short circuiting.

7. A device of the class described comprising a jacketed distributingf fluid flow piping system in which a material which is in a fluid state only at temperatures considerably above atmospheric is to be distributed and to be maintained in a heated condition may be circulated, aplurality of main tubes in parallel fluid flow relation, a container for the fluid having inlet and outlet connections with said jacketed distributing fluid flow piping system, means for introducing a heating medium into the jacket of said system, and unj acketed flexible distributing portions connected for parallel flow therethrough to each of said main tubes having means for maintaining a continuous circulation of fluid substantially to the end of the distributing portions.

8. A device of the class described comprising a jacketed distributing fluid flow piping system in which a material which is in a fluid state only at temperatures considerably above atmospheric is to be distributed and to be maintained in a heated condition may be clrculated, a plurality of main tubes in parallel fluid flow relation, a container for the fluid having Xnlet and outletdconnections with said jacketed distributing fluid flow piping system, means for introducing a heat ing medium into the jacket of said system, and unj'acketed flexible distributingportions connected for parallel flow therethrough to each of said main tubes having means for maintaining continuous flow of fluid substantially to the end of the distributing portions, and means in each of said unjaoketed flexible distributing portions operable intermittently and independently of each other for producing an intermittent and independent discharge from each of said unjacketed parallel portions. 1

9. A device of the class described comprising a mam tube, a spraying head fitted in one end thereof, flexible connector tubes connected with said main tube for circulation of material to and from said main tube, con-r in the main tube, av pump for circulatin a fluid through the main tube, connector to es and conduits to and from the container, and 1 a regulator for stopping the circulation of. material through the main tube while material continues to circulate independently through said conduits.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

CECIL MANN. 

